Cheap black substrate?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

The guy of fish

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 6, 2020
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Hi, I’m looking for a cheap black substrate that is easy to maintain but also looks good. I know play sand and pool filter sand are cheap but I think play sand compacts easy but also isn’t black. Any cheap black substrates you know of? If so say the brand and price.
 
It's funny you asked this since I was looking this up a few days ago. This is what I found.
 
Black Diamond blasting sand is absolutely awesome! I use it for everything now! Get the coarse size from tractor supply. Still has fine grains, but sinks very well. About $9 for 50 lbs. Rinse it well with a garden hose on full, one half bag at a time in a 5 gallon bucket, and your good to go.
 
As other said, black diamond sand would be the cheapest route. my only complaint about it is that it's not really black black. Under bright light it has that amber yellowish tint that I didn't like. maybe its diff now but cuz of that I switched it out. Other than that its cool.
 
As other said, black diamond sand would be the cheapest route. my only complaint about it is that it's not really black black. Under bright light it has that amber yellowish tint that I didn't like. maybe its diff now but cuz of that I switched it out. Other than that its cool.


If you have blueish lighting it resolves that. I have adjustable lights and if the yellow is too high it makes the media look hazy. I have African haps so I run my lights really high on blue spectrum anyways.

But as other said black diamond, fill up a 5 gallon bucket half way and wash until the hazy water become super clear, the more you wash it the cleaner it is in the long run
 
Are those pieces sharp, I don’t want to injure the fish i put in there as it is a bottom dweller
 
It's pretty abrasive, my corys didn't do well on it, but there was another recent post about this, with another member who said their's did fine.
 
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